Somewhere I Belong
by jaina-lotr
Summary: John Sheppard had never felt he belonged anywhere, but that could all change when one day he gets recruited to the SGC and placed on SG1. Could he really find somewhere to belong? SG1/SGA cross. Answer to sognfic challenge I posted a while ago.
1. Chapter 1

**author's note: **I know, I know I really should be working on all of my other stories. And I will! Just as soon as I get inspired to work on those. But this story is complete so there should be no long waits! That's something, right? I'm working on a new philosophy (one I should have started with) and that is to fininsh writing a story before I start posting. That should keep the chapters coming pretty regularly instead of having to wait for months at a time for me to write the next one.

Anyway, this story is my answer to the challenge that I posted a little bit ago. It honestly was the first idea that I came up with and I am very proud of this story. I think it's probably one of my best. However, I can't seem to write one shots so this is 5 chapters and an epilogue. I will most likely post every Friday. It really depends on the response this first chapter gets. If a lot of you like it, I may just put the next chapter up sooner (hint hint ;)

Now, I will shut up cuz I know you didn't come here to listen to me go on and on and on. So, without further ado here is the story!

**disclaimer: **I don't own Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis or Somewhere I Belong by Linkin Park.

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere I Belong<strong>

**Chapter 1**

**Hollow and Alone**

_When this began_

_I had nothing to say_

_And I'd get lost in the nothingness inside of me_

John Sheppard sighed as he entered his sparse, empty apartment. It was times like this that made him miss his job, even if all he did was ferry people back and forth to Antarctica. At least then he wouldn't be alone. The reason he found himself at home was because a bad storm had rolled in making it impossible to fly. The storm had, although he would never admit it, given him some much needed time off.

He finally moved away from the door, kicking his shoes off and tossing his duffle onto the floor before flopping onto his leather sofa. He picked up the remote and turned on the TV, flipping idly through the channels. It didn't take him long to discover that there was nothing on worth watching. He finally settled on the weather channel for nothing more than background noise. He glanced once more around his apartment searching for something to do.

John was the type of person that got antsy when he had nothing to do and especially if he was bored. And unfortunately his apartment didn't exactly offer up many options. Of course it would probably help if he had more than a TV, coffee table, and a couch. Not for the first time the thought crossed his mind that maybe he should liven the place up. And just like every other time he shoved the thought away knowing that he wouldn't. He never did.

He had always found it hard to make a place his own, to actually settle down enough to feel like he had a place that he could call home. Of course that probably had something to do with growing up in foster care. That and he'd never had a home before, so why should he start now? And this was why he hated being stuck at home with nothing to do. It always brought up some rather unpleasant thoughts and many questions that always remained unanswered.

He had been through some traumatic experiences, especially since joining the Air Force. But even the worst of those couldn't compare to the emptiness he felt when he came 'home.' It always reminded him that he had no one. All his life he'd been alone . . . okay, so maybe that wasn't exactly true.

There was this memory he had; well at least he thought it was a memory. For all he knew it could just be something that his imagination had conjured up. But this memory (or whatever it was), was all he had. It was fuzzy and faded, more like a dream than anything else, but there were certain things that stood out.

He could clearly remember the feel of grass beneath his feet and the sun shining on his face. There was another young boy his age and they were playing in a sand pit. But he couldn't quite make out the boy's features. The only thing that really stood out was dark blonde hair and deep blue eyes. His dream-like memory was also filled with laughter, his, the other boy's, and someone else's. There would always be two people there watching over them, a man and a woman and that is where the other laughter came from, but he could never make out any details about them. The only thing that he really knew for certain was that he felt safe and happy and loved.

John usually tried not to think about that memory or dream or whatever it happened to be. Mainly it was because he had no idea if it was even real or not. Most days he wished that it wasn't because if it was then that would mean that he had a family out there that he didn't know and who had, for some reason, given him up. And on those days that he did wish it was real, that's what bothered him the most. And that, of course, always led to those unanswered questions.

What happened? Who were his parents? Why had they given him up? Were they even still alive? And the other boy in his memory, did that mean he had a bother? Or maybe a childhood friend? And he could go on all day listing off questions. In fact he had before. He'd halfway filled a small note pad with questions before forcing himself to stop.

Shaking his head to force those thoughts away, John rose from the couch and headed for the kitchen. Of course even the slight distraction of his trek to the kitchen on a mission to get a beer from the fridge wasn't enough to keep those thoughts at bay. They were still there fighting to come back full force, just like always. And this was why he always hated it when he was alone where he couldn't help but think about this stuff. It would be oh so easy to get lost in his thoughts and that was somewhere that he never wanted to get lost in.

He was about three steps from the fridge when there was a knock at the door. He sighed in relief and practically ran to the door almost tripping over his duffle in his haste to reach it. He easily caught his balance, smoothed down his shirt, cleared his throat, and then yanked the door open.


	2. Chapter 2

**author's note: **Okay, here's chapter 2! I kept almost forgetting to post it cuz there was so much going on today, but I remembered! Anyway, I hope you like this chapter and please let me know what you think!

**disclaimer: **I don't own Stargate SG1, Stargate Atlantis, or Somewhere I Belong by Linkin Park.

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere I Belong<strong>

**Chapter 2**

**Nothing to Lose**

_And I've got nothing to say_

_I can't believe I didn't fall right down on my face_

Standing at the door was a man a little shorter than John himself with short brown hair and honest looking brown eyes. He was wearing Air Force blues with his cover tucked under his arm and a briefcase clutched in his hand. The gold almost flower shaped pins on his shoulders told John that this man was a Major, the same rank as him.

"Major Sheppard?" The man asked. At John's nod he continued. "My name is Major Paul Davis, I'm a liaison officer with the Pentagon and I was wondering if you had a moment to talk?"

"What about?" John asked suspiciously. He'd only been given the time off the day before and had only arrived home about an hour ago and now a liaison officer from the Pentagon showed up on his doorstep wanting to talk. He wasn't sure how this was going to go.

"Do you mind if I come in? Some of the material is a little sensitive."

Well that certainly knocked his suspicion lever up a notch. Sensitive material and a Pentagon liaison officer. And darn if he wasn't curious too. But why on earth did they want to talk to him?

"Sure, Major, come on in," John said stepping back to allow the other man to enter.

Davis walked in and glanced around obviously taking note of the sparse decorations, but he had the good grace to not say anything. John had walked back over to his couch and sat back down gesturing for Davis to do the same.

"So, Major, what did you want to talk about?" John asked as Davis sat on the other end of the couch. He set his cover down on the coffee table out of the way before bringing the briefcase up. He popped the case open and pulled out a manila folder.

"First off, Major, I'll need you to sign this," Davis said holding the folder out to John.

"What is it?" John asked taking the folder carefully.

"A non-disclosure agreement. What I have to tell you is very highly classified."

John frowned as he scanned over the form although he wasn't really seeing it. Why would someone from the Pentagon show up to tell him about some highly classified something or other with what was in his record? It had been made perfectly clear to him that after the whole fiasco in Afghanistan that he was lucky to even qualify for the job he had.

"Why exactly are you here, Major?" John asked. "Surely it's not just to tell me about some classified project."

"That's correct," Davis said in agreement. "I'm here to offer you a job."

"A job?" John asked wondering if he'd heard right.

"Yes."

"Why? I mean I was told that I was lucky to even get what I have now."

Davis smiled slightly before answering.

"I can assure you, Major, that I wouldn't be here if my superiors hadn't wanted you for this job, your record notwithstanding."

"Okay, so you're offering me a job. What would I be doing?"

"I can't tell you any more until you sign the form other than that General O'Neill believes that you are a perfect candidate for this program and as such is willing to over look whatever marks you have on your record."

"So you can't tell me anything?" John asked.

"No, Major, I cannot."

"You can't even give me a little hint?"

"No."

"Are you sure you can't tell me anything?"

Davis actually looked slightly amused at John's attempts to get any kind of information, but he still refused to say anything. So John just sat there thinking over everything. As strange as it might sound he did like his current job. He loved to fly and that was something he got to do almost every day. But he had to admit just going back and forth to the same place over and over got boring after awhile. And now he finds out some General wants him for some top secret project. He wasn't sure what to think about that. But in the end he signed the non-disclosure agreement out of sheer curiosity.

After he'd handed the form back, Davis had glanced over it before shutting the folder and putting it back in his briefcase. He had then pulled out another folder and began to fill John in on what his new job would be if he decided to take it. It was something top secret so John was expecting something to do with some new technology that they needed someone to test or some new type of air craft that they wanted him to fly. But, out of everything he could imagine wormholes and travel to other planets certainly wasn't what he'd been expecting.

"You have got to be kidding me," John said in disbelief when Davis was only halfway through his explanation.

"I assure you, Major, that everything I'm telling you is true," Davis replied.

"Wormholes, other planets, and aliens-," Sheppard began not even sure where he was going with that statement.

"Are all real," Davis finished for him.

"Okay," John said although he was still a little skeptical. "I know I'm repeating myself, but why do you want me for this? I'm a pilot and from what I understand it doesn't sound like I'd be doing a lot of flying."

"Because of General O'Neill's promotion SG-1 has been left a member short. The General has been searching through personnel files to find someone that he believed would be able to fit in with them and believe me when I say not everyone is cut out for it. And out of all of the files the General went through he felt that you were the best choice."

"Right," John drawled.

Davis gave him a slightly miffed look, but shook it off easily enough. He then stuck the folders back into his briefcase and stood grabbing his cover and tucking it back under his arm.

"Now, I know this is a lot to take in," he said looking at John, "so I'll leave you to think it all over. I'll stop by tomorrow to get your answer."

After Davis had left John returned to sitting on his sofa. And that's where he stayed for the next couple hours just thinking about everything. He had to admit that this was an offer of a lifetime. Being part of a team that traveled to other planets searching out new technologies and allies while fighting a war against a race of aliens that had superior technology and weapons, it all sounded like something out of a science fiction movie. It was all very exciting, but there was one thing that really got him.

He'd be part of a team. He wouldn't be alone any longer, or at least he hoped he wouldn't be. And based on what he'd heard about this SG-1 they were a very tight knit group of people and for some reason General O'Neill thought he would fit in with them. That was pretty much what helped him make his decision. When Davis came the next day John would be able to tell him that he accepted. After all he really had nothing to lose.


	3. Chapter 3

**author's note: **Alright, here is chapter 3! It's so awesome having the chapters ready and waiting instead of having to wait super long before I write the next one. I really should have done this from the get go, but it's a little late for that I guess. Anyway, I plan on sitting down and forcing myself to work on my stories so hopefully I'll get something done. But, I'll shut up now so you can get on with the chapter! Hope you like it and please let me know what you think!

Until then I guess I'll see you next week with chapter 4.

**disclaimer: **I don't own Stargate SG1, Stargate Atlantis or Somewhere I Belong. They all belong to people who are much richer than I am.

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere I Belong<strong>

**Chapter 3**

**I Want To Heal**

_I was confused_

_Looking everywhere_

_Only to find that it's _

_Not the way I had imagined it all in my mind_

John was equally as nervous as he was excited as he exited the elevator. Today was his first day at the SGC and after he checked in with General O'Neill he would be meeting his team. Well, they weren't actually his team he would just be joining them. And if he was honest with himself that's what he was the most nervous about.

He'd had a few days to think about everything over and over again. From the few files Davis had let him read he knew that SG-1 was a close-knit team and he wasn't entirely sure how they would take him being shoved into their lives. Davis had told him more than once that General O'Neill believed that he was a perfect fit, but he wasn't so sure. Of course, this whole nonsense of being afraid of what SG-1 would think about him had no doubt sprung from the fact that no one had wanted him when he was a child. He did his best to push that to the back of his mind and to focus on something else.

John had no idea when exactly he'd be meeting the rest of SG-1, but he definitely hoped it would be soon. He just wanted to get it over with. He had imagined meeting them and every time it ended badly for him. He hoped that wouldn't be the case, but that is what he was expecting. His nervousness suddenly skyrocketed as he rounded the corner and stopped in front of General O'Neill's office.

The General's door was open which gave John a chance to take in the room. The desk was directly ahead, its surface covered in files, some open and some closed. A few had even escaped onto the floor. There was a large book case along the wall behind the desk. There were, what looked to John, like various awards and certificates hanging on the walls, and there were even a few pictures scattered about.

O'Neill was hunched over the desk and at first John thought he was reading the file that was spread out on the desk in front of him. That was until he realized that the General was focused on something that he held in his lap. It wasn't until O'Neill shifted that John caught sight of the Game boy the General held in his hands. John wasn't sure what to make of that so he decided to not think about it. Instead he shook his head slightly to clear away any unwanted thoughts and knocked lightly on the side of the door. O'Neill quickly shoved his Game boy under some files before looking up.

"Major, I wasn't expecting you until 1030," O'Neill said as he stood.

John glanced at his watch. "It is 1030, sir."

"So it is," O'Neill said as he looked at his own watch.

"Yes, sir."

"Anyway, have you had the grand tour yet, Major?" O'Neill asked.

"No, sir," John replied.

"Perfect," O'Neill said clapping his hands. "Well, Major, how about we go meet your team? I would have brought them all here, but I figured it would be best to meet them in their natural habitats."

"Yes, sir," John said frowning slightly. The General was definitely not what he expected. With another shake of his head he followed O'Neill out the door.

And now he wasn't just nervous he was worried. This was the moment that he had been dreading as well as anticipating. He was fully expecting to be shut out by the rest of SG-1 despite all of the assurances from Davis. And now he was about to find out if he was right or not. There was a small part of him that was still hoping for acceptance, but the rest of him was expecting rejection.

It took a few minutes to reach their first destination and General O'Neill had attempted to make small talk the entire way there, but John was having a hard enough time focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. They stopped outside a door that led into a room full of computers, electronic equipment and all sorts of other gadgets with little blinking lights. Colonel Carter's lab.

"Carter," O'Neill called as he entered the room. John followed behind in silence.

"Sir, what are you doing here?" Carter asked.

"I've brought you your new fourth."

And then her attention was on him. With everything that he'd imagined would happen, the warm smile and enthusiastic greeting was not it. He tuned out most of what she said out of sheer surprise, but he did catch the tail end.

"It's good to have you aboard, Major," Carter said with that same smile still on her face.

"Thank you, ma'am," John responded.

"Well, Carter, we'll let you get back to . . . whatever you're doing. Sheppard here still has to meet Teal'c and Daniel."

"Of course," Carter said to O'Neill and then she turned back to John. "We'll meet up again for lunch and have a sort of team bonding thing."

"Sounds good, ma'am," John replied. Then he and O'Neill left. Another few minutes found them in the gym.

There was various exercise equipment about the room, but the center was bare. The only thing that was there was a large rectangular exercise mat. A couple benches were placed next to the mat and that was where Teal'c and a few Marines were. It seemed that they were taking a break. When Teal'c saw them enter he headed over to them.

"T, buddy, how goes the training?" O'Neill called out to Teal'c.

"All is well, O'Neill," Teal'c replied.

"Awesome," O'Neill said.

"I do not believe your only intention for visiting was to ask that question, O'Neill," Teal'c stated.

"You're right, it's not. I actually came down here to introduce you to the newest member of SG-1."

Teal'c's gaze then landed on John. And just like with Carter, Teal'c's reaction was the complete opposite of what he was expecting.

"It is good to meet you, Major Sheppard," Teal'c said with a slight bow of his head.

"Uh, yeah, you too," John replied.

"I believe that you will be a good addition to the team," Teal'c said.

"Thanks," John said back. All of this so far was definitely not what he had been expecting.

After that Teal'c excused himself so he could return to training with the Marines. John and O'Neill left shortly thereafter to go find the final member of SG-1. It took a few minutes for them to reach the last stop on their little trip. Unlike Carter's lab which despite all of the tech scattered about had been relatively organized, this room on the other hand was not. There were papers and books and artifacts spread over almost every available surface. This was no doubt Dr. Jackson's office.

O'Neill walked into the room and immediately picked up a small stone tablet. John followed him into the room and just looked around taking everything in. Dr. Jackson was apparently unaware of their presence because he was sitting at his desk working on something.

"Put it down, Jack." John looked over at O'Neill who actually did as he was told. What he found the most interesting was that Jackson hadn't even looked up and yet had still known what O'Neill was doing.

"So, whatcha doin'?" O'Neill asked moving to peer over the archeologist's shoulder.

"I'm working, which is more than I can say for some of us," Jackson replied giving O'Neill a rather pointed look.

"Hey, I work," O'Neill said.

"Sure you do, Jack," Jackson said. "So, what level are you on now?"

"I do work, Daniel," O'Neill shot back. "And I'm on level twenty-four."

"And you call that working?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do. Anyway, I didn't actually come down here to argue with you."

"That's because you always lose," Jackson said with a grin.

O'Neill just glared back before he gestured to John. "Daniel, meet Major Sheppard."

"Oh," Jackson said looking at John. "I forgot you were coming today."

"Of course you did," O'Neill cut in.

This time it was Jackson who glared at O'Neill. Then he turned back to face John. "It's good to finally meet you. Jack's been going on about you for a couple weeks now."

'A couple weeks?' John thought to himself. Again something he had not been expecting.

"I have not," O'Neill said indignantly.

"Yes, you have," Jackson shot back.

"Oh whatever. The Major here hasn't had a tour of the base yet, Daniel. Think you can separate yourself from your rocks long enough to do it?"

"Yeah, sure, no problem."

"Great. Now if you'll excuse me I have work to do," he said with a very pointed look in Jackson's direction, which the younger man completely ignored. O'Neill just shook his head before leaving. And then O'Neill was gone and he was left alone with Jackson.

"So, you haven't had the tour yet," Jackson said.

"No, sir, not yet," John replied.

"Please, just call me Daniel," Jackson said as he waved for John to follow him.

"Okay," John agreed as they walked down the hallway. "So, where are we going?" He actually felt more at ease around Daniel than he did the others. Maybe it had something to do with that fact that he wasn't military, John really wasn't sure.

"Well, I know most people save the best for last, but I figured we'd do that first, you know change things up a little."

"Sounds good to me."

They walked in silence for a bit, but it wasn't until they were on the elevator that John got up the courage to ask the question he'd been wanting to ask since he'd first met Colonel Carter.

"Can I ask you something?" John asked as the elevator doors slid closed.

"Sure," Daniel said.

"So, you knew that I was coming?"

"Of course we did," Daniel replied. "You didn't think that Jack would just put someone on the team unless he had approval from all of us did you?"

"Oh," was all John cold think to say.

"Don't worry, Major, you'll fit right in," Daniel replied.

"John," John corrected.

"John," Daniel agreed.

John's tension flooded out of him then. He was beginning to think that he had gotten himself worked up over nothing. Maybe he really would fit in around here. That was what people kept trying to tell him so maybe he should start listening.


	4. Chapter 4

**author's note: **And now we have chapter 4! Yeah this is definitely working out better than what I was doing before. Anyway, not much to say so I'll just let you get to reading the chapter. Hope you enjoy and don't be afraid to let me know what you think! Look out for chapter 5 next week!

**disclaimer: **I don't own Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, or Somewhere I Belong.

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere I Belong<strong>

**Chapter 4**

**Erase all the Pain Till It's Gone**

_And I let it all out to find_

_That I'm not the only person with these things in mind_

A week had passed since John had started at the SGC and everything was still going good. A couple nights ago, Daniel, Colonel Carter and Teal'c had shown up at his apartment for what they called a 'team night.' They had watched a couple movies and just generally hung out. It was an interesting experience for John and certainly not something he had been expecting. None of it was.

After the team night, John thought that maybe everyone was right, because he really did feel like he fit in with SG-1. Teal'c rarely said anything, but John was learning that he conveyed most of what he thought through head tilts and raised eyebrows. He had yet to figure out what they all meant, but he was certain that with time he would be able to figure it all out.

John often found it hard to actually connect with his superior officers, but Colonel Carter was different. She was easy to get along with and she even seemed like she might be laid back enough to deal with John's insubordinate attitude. He had been a little nervous during the team night, not knowing how to act around her, because she was after all his boss. But he quickly found that she had an easy going personality and even liked to joke around with her friends. It was a refreshing change to find in a superior officer.

But John had found that Daniel was the one he got along with best. He didn't really know why, although they had found out pretty quickly that they had a lot in common. They had actually found that out on John's tour of the SGC. After the tour they had returned to Daniel's office and just talked for a while before heading to lunch with the others. It was during that talk that they discovered that they had the same favorite flavor of ice cream, favorite pie and even favorite pizza. The most surprising had been when they found out that they'd been born on the same day. It was a little weird. John, though, since then had been spending most of his time hanging out in Daniel's office because they got along so well. That just happened to be where he was headed now.

When John entered the office General O'Neill was there. He was getting pretty used to the General being around. Then again he had been the leader of SG-1 for seven years and they were all still friends. And just like with SG-1, John found it pretty easy to get along with O'Neill. You heard the word 'General' and automatically assumed they were some stiff desk jockey, but O'Neill was the complete opposite. And just like everything else, John found that a little on the weird side as well.

Neither Daniel nor O'Neill noticed his entrance, of course, that was probably because they were too busy bickering about something. It seemed that these sorts of things were a common occurrence, but John didn't really mind because he found their arguments to be highly entertaining. Only a couple minutes later and it was over. O'Neill left grumbling something under his breath about annoying know-it-all archeologists and Daniel was grinning.

"I take it you won that one," John commented.

"Are you kidding, I always win," Daniel replied still grinning.

"Sure you do," John said.

"Okay, so most of the time."

"So, what was it about this time?" John asked as he sat down in the chair across from Daniel.

"Oh, the usual," Daniel said.

"The usual about General O'Neill coming down here to escape his paperwork or the usual about him trying to escape from boring meetings?" John asked with a grin of his own.

"Both this time," Daniel said.

John picked up a book and started flipping through the pages, but he wasn't seeing the words. Not that he'd actually be able to understand anything anyway. But even if he could understand the words his mind was completely focused on something else.

When he'd gotten home yesterday he'd flopped onto the couch with his mail and flipped through it. Most of it was junk, there were a couple bills (he'd only moved to Colorado a week ago and he was already getting bills), and an envelope from one of his old Social Workers. He'd just sat there and stared at the envelope. There was a voice in the back of his head telling him that he should just open it and get it over with, but he just couldn't do it.

He'd tried his best to forget about it, but nothing worked. He'd lain awake half the night thinking about it. As it was he had the letter tucked into the pocket of his BDU jacket. He hadn't been able to leave it at home for some reason. But now he had no idea what to do with it. His first instinct was to find someone to talk to about it, but he wasn't sure who to talk to.

He thought about maybe talking to Colonel Carter, but even though they'd made some inroads toward possibly becoming friends, she was still his commanding officer. That just made going to her about something like this, something that was such a personal matter a little weird in his book.

Then he thought, maybe Teal'c. He was a good listener and was very wise, but then John thought about the way that Teal'c would stare at you without moving or saying anything. It was still a little unnerving. That and Teal'c was an alien, and even though he'd been on Earth for a while now there was no telling if he knew how certain things worked. So that ruled Teal'c out.

Daniel, of course, should have been the obvious choice. After all, they got along well and John felt pretty comfortable talking to him about pretty much anything. But he just wasn't sure about this. There were just some things that you can't really understand unless you have experienced them yourself. And growing up in foster care just happened to be one of those things.

"What's up?" Daniel asked suddenly snapping John out of his thoughts.

"Huh?"

"You look like you have something on your mind."

"Oh, it's nothing," John said setting the book back down on the table.

"If it was nothing you wouldn't be so distracted."

"Oh, you noticed that," John said. He'd been really hoping that no one would notice that he was a little out of it. So much for that, though.

"Yeah I noticed," Daniel replied.

John didn't say anything back. He didn't really know what _to_ say.

Daniel frowned slightly before leaning forward. "John, you do know that you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"Yeah, I know," John said. "I'm just not sure you would understand. I'm not sure if anyone would."

"Well, there's no way to know unless you talk to me."

John sighed. "Have you read my file?"

"No, I generally like to get to know someone by talking to them," Daniel replied.

"So, you don't know what's in it?"

"I only know what Jack told me and that was pretty much all about your military background."

John only nodded. Now he didn't really know if he should say anything. Although, chances were that he wouldn't have a choice now. Daniel was like a dog with a bone sometimes. Once he got going on something he wouldn't let it go until he'd gotten to the heart of the matter. That was something that John had learned _very_ quickly.

"John, what's this all about?" Daniel asked after a little while.

John sighed and then decided what the heck. So he pulled the envelope out and just held it.

"I got this in the mail yesterday," he said slowly.

"What is it?"

"I don't know I haven't actually opened it yet."

"And the reason you haven't opened it-," Daniel prompted.

John hesitated, but only briefly. "It's from one of my Social Workers."

"Oh." That was all Daniel said, but John heard the understanding in his tone. John's mind, though, told him that no one could truly understand. But he forced that thought away.

"The obvious guess is that is has something to do with one of my foster families," John said after a moment. "I just don't know which one."

"You won't know unless you open it," Daniel said.

"I know," John replied. "Now you see why I didn't think anyone could understand." And if John was being honest with himself he still didn't quite believe that Daniel really understood.

"I do," Daniel said quietly after a moment, so quietly in fact that John almost didn't hear it. "And you're right, not many people would understand how feels to have grown up in the foster care system."

"I didn't know that you-," John trailed off not entirely sure how to finish that sentence.

"I guess that's just another thing we have in common," Daniel replied.

John sat there for a moment just thinking. He kept getting surprised. First, with the job offer itself and then with his team. They had accepted him into their little group without batting an eyelash. They even welcomed him. And now he even felt comfortable enough to think of them as friends. But now finding out that Daniel had grown up in foster care, it was just rather strange.

"Did you know your parents?" John asked after a few minutes. It was the one thing that had always bothered him and he just couldn't help but ask.

Daniel leaned back in his chair and just stared for a minute. "No, I didn't," he finally said.

"I never knew mine either," John stated flipping the envelope over and over in his hands.

"That was one thing I never understood," Daniel said sounding slightly irritated. "Apparently I was just dropped off at an orphanage when I was three, but no one knew who had taken me there. I don't think they even saw who did it. They just found me there. And they just assumed that my name was my name because it was written on the collar of my jacket. They never had any records. It was all rather weird."

John's jaw dropped. There was no way. "Holy crap," he muttered.

"Tell me about it," Daniel said.

"No, I mean it was the same for me."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it was the exact same for me," John said sitting forward. "I was dropped off when I was three; my name was on the collar of my jacket. I never knew my parents or how I got there."

"That's . . . weird," Daniel commented.

"Yeah," John agreed.

They both just sat there for a moment letting everything sink in.

"We really do have a lot in common," Daniel said.

John nodded. Then he sucked in a breath and before he lost his nerve he ripped the envelope open and pulled the letter out. It took a couple minutes for him to read it and after he was done he just sat there. This was another thing he hadn't been expecting. Daniel gently plucked the letter from John's hands and read it. John thought that maybe he should feel a little angry about that, but he really didn't.

"I take it Mrs. Murphy was important to you?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah, she was my foster mother when I was six," John replied. "She was going to adopt me."

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure," John said shrugging. "One day she was halfway through the paper work and then the next she was deemed unworthy to be a foster parent and I was moved to another home."

"That's a little odd," Daniel stated.

"Yeah I guess," John said.

"Are you going to go to the funeral?" Daniel asked.

"I probably should," John said. "It's the least I can do."

"I could go with you if you want."

John looked up at Daniel. "You would do that?"

"You're not alone anymore, John."

John smiled gratefully at Daniel. Maybe he had been worried about all of this for nothing. Maybe everyone else had been right. Maybe he really did fit in here. And maybe, just maybe Daniel was right and he wasn't alone anymore. Only time would tell, though, so he would just have to wait and see.


	5. Chapter 5

**author's note:** I can't believe I almost forgot to post this today! But, luckily I remembered. So, here you go chapter 5. All that's left now is the epilogue. I'm excited! This chapter actually marks 100,000 words archived for me. Actually it'll be over by about 1,000, but just the fact that I have that much is awesome. Anyway, I know I haven't properly thanked everyone for their wonderful reviews so I'd like to take the time to do that now.

_Dreamer22_: Well, your guess was spot on. I read your review and I was like 'Wow they actually figured it out'. So, kudos to you.

_Saissa_: I actually kinda forgot about that part until the very end. I rewrote the end of this chapter so that I could include that in the epilogue, but yep. You guessed right!

_Jade O'Neill_: I don't actually have to tell you this here as you already know, but I have started work on the next chapter of Dark Foreigner. And unlike you I haven't restarted my chapter 20 times. hehe. ;)

_CobaltDawn_: You may have already figured this out by now, but no Mitchell will not be making an appearance.

Anyway, thank you to everyone else who reviewed I know I didn't name you all, but that would take much too long and I'm really tired, but I am very appreciative of your support and enjoyment of my story. Hopefully this chapter is as good as the rest!

**disclaimer: **I don't own Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, or Somewhere I Belong. If I did I would be almost desperately searching for a job.

* * *

><p><strong>Somewhere I Belong<strong>

**Chapter 5**

**I'll Find Myself Today**

_And I will never feel _

_Anything else until my wounds are healed_

_I will never be_

_Anything until I break away from me_

Just two months ago John had been sitting in an empty apartment with nothing to look forward to during his forced leave. Now, he was in a new city with a new apartment. The only difference between the two was before he had been alone with his barely there furnishings. Now, though, he was adding decorations and finishing touches to his apartment with the help of his team. But, they weren't just his team, they were his friends. And watching them now, Daniel and Carter arguing over where to hang a poster and Teal'c taking if from them and hanging it where he wanted (while completely ignoring the others), John finally felt like he had a place to call home. It was a really good feeling.

The rest of the day progressed in much the same manner as they decorated John's apartment. By the end of the day the place actually looked lived in and inviting, the complete opposite of his old place. After all the decorating had been completed they had an impromptu team night where they played cards and board games and shared humorous stories from their youths, eventually settling down in the living room to watch a movie. But as great as the day was John was looking forward to tomorrow, which was when their next mission was. There was nothing in the world that could compare to the thrill of traveling through the stargate.

The next day dawned bright and clear and John woke up in a good mood. That good mood carried through breakfast, their pre-mission check up, and the trip through the gate. The others had no trouble telling that he was in a good mood because of the goofy grin he knew was on his face. That grin, however, disappeared as soon as they stepped out of the gate.

Even if several of the natives hadn't run up to SG-1 crying for help there would have been no mistaking that something was seriously wrong. It didn't take very long for them to figure out what that something was either.

The village was being swept with a horrible disease, a highly contagious disease. John looked to Carter for direction wondering what they should do. Just by coming here they had already been exposed, but it would be even more likely for them to catch whatever bug this was if they went any further into the village.

"Will you not help us," one of the villagers cried when he realized that SG-1 hadn't moved.

"We don't have the resources to help you with us," Carter answered, "we have to send a message back to our world and then we can help."

"Besides we wouldn't be much help to you if we end up getting whatever it is your people have," John added.

"Oh no, you are perfectly safe," another villager spoke up.

"We are?" Daniel asked skeptically.

"Yes, we have discovered that if you are not bitten by the insect that carries the sickness then you will not 'get it'," the first villager replied adopting John's wording in an attempt to make them understand better.

"Why are so many sick if this disease is spread by an insect?" Teal'c asked.

"There was a swarm only two nights past," the second villager said, "so many were bitten during it and we have no way to cure them."

"Don't worry, we will help you," Carter decided. "Daniel contact Earth and let them know what's going on and get Janet here quickly." Daniel only nodded as he turned back to the DHD and rapidly dialed Earth. "In the meantime, we'll see what we can do to help."

John fell in step with Teal'c behind Carter as they followed the villagers. Carter was trying to get as much information about this disease as she could from them, but it was obvious that they didn't know much more than they had already told them.

"Spread out and see what you can do," Carter ordered when they reached the small village.

John nodded as he headed off to do as he was told. There were people everywhere that were sick. Many of them were sneezing and coughing barely affected by the disease. It seemed that they suffered from nothing more than a cold. But then there were others, as John discovered when he was led into a house by a crying mother, that were much worse off. There was a young boy lying in bed coughing weakly and barely conscious. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he was having trouble breathing. And, if the blood that trickled out of the corner of his mouth after a particularly violent bout of coughing was anything to go by, there was some serious internal damage going on that John could nothing about.

Only fifteen minutes later and Frasier and her team were there, in hazmat suits despite the assurances that they couldn't catch this bug, to provide the much needed help that SG-1 couldn't. John gladly stepped out of the way for the nurse that came to check on the boy and headed back outside. He quickly found where Daniel was waiting and headed over.

"Hey," Daniel said when he noticed John heading over.

"Hey," John replied.

"How bad is it?" Daniel asked glancing around the village. He had only just gotten there with the medical team and so hadn't seen everything.

"Well, there are some cases that don't seem so bad, and then there are others. . ." John trailed off with a shrug, but from the grave look on Daniel's face it was obvious that he knew what he meant.

"Hopefully, Janet will find something," Daniel said quietly.

"Yeah," John agreed.

A couple hours later and Janet was ready to return to Earth with the samples she had collected so she could perform tests to see what it was that was affecting these people so badly. She agreed to let some of her team remain behind with the few Marines that had accompanied them while she and SG-1 returned. John let out a sigh as he stepped out of the gate and onto the ramp. He'd started feeling tired and achy sometime over the last hour and was looking forward to getting some proper rest. When they reached the infirmary he sank gratefully onto the mattress of the closest bed.

"You alright?" Daniel asked giving John a mildly concerned look.

"Just a bit tired," John answered. He frowned slightly in confusion when Daniel and Carter shared an alarmed glance. "What?"

"That was the first symptom that most of the villagers experienced," Carter said.

"So, that doesn't mean anything," John replied absently scratching at his neck. Before he even knew it Daniel was there pushing his head to the side and poking at his neck. "Hey, what are you doing?" John demanded.

"You were bit by something," Daniel said stepping back. Now he definitely looked concerned and so did Carter.

"That still doesn't mean anything."

"What doesn't mean anything?" Janet asked as she entered the room.

"John has a bite mark on his neck," Daniel answered.

And immediately Janet was calling out instructions to her nurses and drawing blood and taking his temperature and many other things that he lost track of even though he kept assuring her that he was fine. And if the looks she kept giving him were any indication then it was clear that she didn't believe him. After she was finished with him, though, she attacked the rest of his team gathering everything she needed before rushing out of the room to get started on the tests. John really didn't know what to say so he just lay down, closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Sometime later John slowly opened his eyes and knew that something was wrong. For one he was cold, really cold. That and he could barely breathe his nose was so clogged. And just to add to the fun he felt the beginnings of a tickle in the back of his throat. Before he knew it he was coughing violently apparently trying his best to hack up a lung that refused to budge. He didn't even realize that he'd sat up until he felt gentle hands pushing him back onto the bed.

"Doc," he gasped out between coughs.

"Don't try to talk, Major," Janet replied before putting an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. He had to admit that did make breathing a little better.

"I got it don't I," John mumbled not even sure if she had heard him.

"I'm afraid so, Major," Janet replied. Apparently she had heard him. "Don't worry though, I've been going over the test results and am fairly certain that it should be easy to come up with an antidote."

""S good," John slurred before slipping back into sleep.

"How is he?" Daniel asked as soon as Janet stepped out into the hallway where the rest of SG-1 had been waiting.

"Okay, for now," Janet answered.

"For now?" Sam asked sounding worried.

"This disease is unlike anything we have seen before," Janet said. "It's attacking his pulmonary system, which is why it's so difficult for him to breathe. I'm doing everything I can, but it's just not enough. We're working to find a cure, but I'm not sure if it will do any good."

"Why not?" Daniel asked.

"I feel like there's something I'm missing. Most of the test results just don't make any sense. I've tried running the blood of the ones not infected, but that was a dead end. I'm running out of ideas," Janet said plainly. She hated that she didn't have something better to offer.

Daniel just stared at her for a minute. There could be no way that Janet was saying what it sounded like she was saying. The others had fallen silent as well. The idea that the newest member of their team might not make it didn't sit well with any of them.

"What about the ones that weren't as sick as the others?" Sam asked breaking the silence. She did her best to be optimistic, but the look on Janet's face answered her question even before the doctor spoke.

"I tried that, but it didn't lead anywhere."

"Are none of your medicines effective, Doctor Frasier?" Teal'c asked raising an eyebrow in inquiry.

"There are some that slow down the spread of the disease, but none that actually stop it."

"So, everyone that has it will die?" Sam stated although it came out more as a question.

"No, I don't think so," Janet replied. "There are some that have shown a resistance to the disease and I believe that they will live through it. I only wish that they held the answer, but unfortunately they don't."

"What about the bug?" Daniel asked.

"I've studied the one that was brought back, but even that failed to provide the necessary results."

"Janet, you saw that village. These people, especially the families of the infected will be devastated," Sam said.

"I know and I'm doing everything I can think of . . ." Janet's voice trailed off leaving SG-1 standing there in confusion.

"Janet?" Sam asked giving her friend a tap on the shoulder.

"That could be it!" Janet exclaimed.

"What could be it?" Daniel asked confused, yet hopeful that they had an answer.

Janet opened her mouth to answer, but then closed it and shook her head. "I don't want to say before I know for sure if this will work or not. I'll let you know when I know something."

SG-1 just stood there staring after Janet as she disappeared back into the infirmary.

"Either of you have any idea what she could be so excited about?" Sam asked looking to Teal'c and Daniel. Teal'c only shook his head slightly looking regretful that he didn't have an answer.

"No, but I hope it's something that works," Daniel replied.

Three hours later and Janet burst into Jack's office with a triumphant look on her face. After Janet had left them in the hallway SG-1 had headed up to Jack's office to let him know what was going on. As they had come into contact with a deadly disease Jack had been spending much of his time on the phone doing his best to assure Washington that they didn't have an outbreak on their hands. He, too, was hoping that Janet would be able to figure out something and soon. He'd taken a liking to Major Sheppard and really didn't want to see anything bad happen to him.

"Doc, I hope that look means you have good news," Jack said.

"I do, General," Janet replied before a large smile broke out. "The answer was their family members."

All four members of the original SG-1 shared confused glances.

"Care to explain what you mean by that?" Jack asked.

"When I was running all of the previous tests I always felt like there was something that I was missing. It turns out that what I was missing was the link between members of the same family. They usually have close to the same blood type and are generally compatible for organ transplants. So, I tested the families of everyone that had been affected and luckily found the answer to curing this disease."

"So, their families are the cure?" Sam asked sounding surprised.

"Yes," Janet replied excitedly.

"How?" Daniel asked in confusion.

"Does it really matter?" Jack asked.

"No, I suppose not," Daniel replied.

"But, how does that help Sheppard?" Sam asked. "His file doesn't have any family listed."

"I know, that's why I took the liberty of running his DNA through all of the databases hoping to get a match," Janet said.

"And you got one?" Daniel asked sounding surprised.

"Yes I did," Janet replied happily.

"Well what are you waiting for, Doc," Jack said, "go find them and get them here quickly."

"I don't have to, General," Janet said now getting a smug look on her face clearly showing that she knew something that they didn't. "They're already here."

"They're already here?" Sam asked. The surprise was mirrored on her teammate's faces.

"Actually, they're standing in this room," Janet stated proudly.

The first thing he was aware of when he came to was a pounding headache that beat in time with the annoying beeping noise coming from his left. The second thing was that his whole body still ached from that dang bug bite. And just thinking about the bite made him aware of the fact that it was itching badly. The last thing he noticed was that he didn't feel nearly as bad as he had before despite all of his aches and pains.

"Major?" Someone's voice suddenly said to his right.

He forced his eyes open to see Doctor Frasier standing next to his bed with a small smile on her face.

"Doc," John croaked, which then led to a coughing fit. And he'd thought his head hurt before. The coughing had sent the pain skyrocketing.

Before he could even ask a cup of water appeared in front of him.

"Small sips, Major," Janet said.

He took several grateful sips before trying the speaking thing again.

"What's up, Doc?" He said. His voice was barely above a whisper, but Janet still heard him.

"You're going to be okay," Janet reassured.

"You found a cure," John stated.

"I did," Janet said proudly still smiling down at him. She then went on to explain how she had discovered the cure. But there was one thing that he was having difficulty figuring out.

"Doc," John began.

"Yes, Major?" She asked.

"How exactly did you get the cure to work on me? I don't have any family."

"Actually, Major, you do."

"But, I mean, I thought,"

Janet gave him a sympathetic smile. "I know you thought you didn't have any family, but luckily for you you do. If it hadn't been for your brother we would have lost you."

"Brother?" John asked in shock.

"Yeah, it is a bit surprising, huh?" A new voice questioned on his other side.

"I'll let you two have some time to talk," Janet said before leaving quietly.

"I guess our foster care tales were the same for a reason," Daniel said as he sat down on a chair next to John's bed.

"You're my brother?" John asked still sounding shocked.

"Twin brother, actually," Daniel replied with an odd look on his face.

"Twin?"

"Yeah. Who knew?" Daniel shrugged slightly, but he still had that look on his face.

"Well, this is unexpected," John said quietly, before a slightly uneasy silence fell between them.

"You're my brother," John repeated after a while, breaking the silence.

"Yep," Daniel said.

"I always wanted a brother," John said as he started to grin.

"Well, now you got one," Daniel said with an answering grin.

"So do you," John pointed out. If he had been worried about how SG-1 would react to him becoming a part of the team he was really worried about Daniel's reaction to this news. It was kind of huge and unexpected and he didn't know how he was going to react.

"Yeah, I do, and you know what," Daniel said.

"What?" John asked nervously.

"I always wanted a brother, too."

There was a moment of silence before they both started laughing. John's laughing quickly turned to coughing, but Daniel was there immediately helping him to sit up and getting him some water. John had never had a brother, never expected to have one if he was honest with himself, but he couldn't really think of anyone better for the job than Daniel. They had always had this connection and maybe that was why.

All of John's past worries tried to come forward once again, but his time they didn't grab hold of him and not let go. No, this time he wasn't alone. He had Carter and Teal'c and even General O'Neill that he could call his friends. And now he had Daniel, the brother he never knew he had. And with that thought in mind and feeling more comfortable and wanted than he ever had before he slipped into sleep with a smile on his face.


End file.
